• Family Matters,  Niece-com-poops,  the sticks,  Tis the Season

    summer of youth

    gotcha!

    squirty princess

    It’s been 111 F out here in the sticks. Most of the day we stayed inside and painted but when it started to cool down, my mom sent the kids out to play in the yard and turned the sprinklers on. It was the perfect time of day to capture the water droplets in the late afternoon sunshine.

    running away

    I love taking photos of my niece. She’s always been so contagiously happy as long as I can remember. When she smiles, you can’t help but smile back. She’s starting to turn into a tween and I hope against all hopes that she doesn’t lose her inside-out-smile. It would kill me.

    fountain

    I keep telling her that she can’t grow up but I don’t think she’s listening to me.

  • Bug,  Super Dad,  The Zoo

    Bring out the kiddie pool!

    goobers

    It was HOT today! Yowzers! I mean, if you call 90-something degrees hot—which we do because we’re pansies. I was sweating and generally feeling sticky and disgusting sitting around in our apartment so we decided to drag out the kiddie pool! Nothing says summer fun more than a kiddie pool on the patio. I love our little Fourth-of-July—inspired kiddie pool.

    Mommy, this popsicle is not green.

    Of course nothing says summer more than a popsicle in the kiddie pool! In my opinion, the pool is really the only place popsicles should ever be enjoyed because, look, Mom! No drips! But I have thin teeth that are sensitive to cold so fun things like ice cream and popsicles are really a waste on me.

    I could go a whole year and never eat a popsicle. I’m the same way with soda. I just don’t really care for it. But there’s that one day when I’m having a big ol’ slice of pepperoni pizza where an ice-cold root beer would just hit the spot. You know what I’m talking about. Same thing with popsicles in the pool.

    skeptical

    Too bad we didn’t have any green popsicles. Baby Bug does not share my disinterest in popsicles and has quite a preference for green popsicles. Specifically, the Otter Pops my mom keeps out in her garage freezer. So that face up there? That is because the funny homemade grape juice popsicle was NOT green. She was very skeptical and I ended up eating both hers and mine. Apparently it was “too sour.” Whatever. Those stupid Otter Pops have ruined my child forever.

    Just kidding. Otter Pops are great. They are just so…American. Like extra cup holders in Chryslers. Like CD players built into strollers. Did I tell you about that? I don’t think I did. I didn’t blog about the local 5K race (that we did not run because we got there late but instead kicked everyone’s butt in the “fun walk”).

    There was a mom with a CD player built into her stroller walking the race with us! She was walking along blasting us all with her music. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen and heard. I can’t remember what song was playing but I’m sure that was worthy of making fun of too. It was just weird to me. Weirdly American.

    So anyway!

    We had a really great time in the kiddie pool. It cooled us off like a charm. Then we got a little bored of it so we decided to throw the cats in for kicks. We are so evil that way. I totally and one hundred percent blame Toby for this sport we have created over the years. He started it. But I have to admit I found it completely hilarious and entertaining.

    claws!

    I know, I know…the poor cats. But you know what? They sit around in our house all day long doing nothing. They need some excitement in their lives. They need enrichment! And besides Maddy, the spaz cat, totally got us back for our shenanigans.

    The other cats yowled and carried on but just jumped out of the pool and ran off to go lick their wounds wet paws. Maddy, on the other hand, stuck out her claws and sliced the side of the pool like a wolverine. Pffffffffffffffffffffffffff! went the pool.

    summer girl

    I was prepared to call it a day and throw the pool out. It only cost me nine dollars or so and I figure we’ve got our money’s worth out of it. But Toby, master MacGyver that he is, got out the tape and fixed it. Good as new! So we saved the planet from another big piece of wasted plastic. I have a feeling we’ll be using it all summer.